The announcement of railway zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit has sent BJP leaders into a jubilant mood.

Though the demand for a zone was long pending, the UPA government did not include it in the Reorganisation Act and asked for only a feasibility report.

In spite of a technical committee stating that it was not feasible, declaring it was another boon of Mr. Modi to the people of Andhra Pradesh, BJP State president Kanna Lakshminaryana told The Hindu.

MP K. Haribabu said the Modi government held deliberations with other alliance partners and States and resolved the issue in four and a half years.

BJP Floor Leader in the Assembly P. Vishnu Kumar Raju said though the demand was there for several years, the BJP successfully endeavoured to fulfil it.

MLC P.V.N. Madhav said at least now Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should publicly thank Mr. Modi.

TDP cries foul

Vijayawada Staff Reporter writes:

The TDP reacted bitterly to the announcement. Party national general secretary Nara Lokesh tweeted that the PM has cheated A.P. again. The Centre did injustice to A.P. during bifurcation. Again injustice is done in the establishment of the railway zone also. The Waltair division, which earns a revenue of ₹ 6,500 crore per annum through goods transportation, was given to Odisha, while the remaining portion was given to A.P., he tweeted.

Srikakulam MP K. Ramamohan Naidu tweeted, “Railway Zone South Coast Railway announced! Vizag HQ. Will comprise Guntakal, Guntur, Vijayawada divisions & part of Waltair division. Thank you @ncbn Garu, Andhra people, TDP leaders & workers. Years of hard work, protest & demanding our rights paid off #RailwayZone #SCoR.”

State Congress president N. Raghuveera Reddy claimed that granting of the zone was incorporated in the Reorganisation Act by former PM Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.